San Francisco Giants DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

The San Francisco Giants acquired pitcher Ethan Small from the Milwaukee Brewers Monday for cash considerations, per NBC Sports Bay Area's Alex Pavlovic. The 26-year-old lefty spent most of his 2023 out of the bullpen with Triple-A Nashville, compiling a 3.18 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 28.5% strikeout rate in 51 innings pitched. It remains to be seen what role the former first-round pick will play for the Giants, but his fantasy forecast is low for the time being.

The Detroit Tigers have claimed left-hander Kolton Ingram off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels. Infielder Nick Maton has been designated for assignment in a corresponding move. Ingram got into five games with the Angels in 2023 but struggled to an 8.44 ERA in that time, surrendering a pair of homers while walking five in 5 1/3 innings of work. However, Ingram has posted big-time strikeout rates in a minor-league career that began in 2019, interestingly with the Tigers after the club drafted him in the 37th round in the 2019 MLB Draft. He also posted a 2.63 ERA in 23 outings at Double-A and a 3.21 ERA in 22 games at the Triple-A level a season ago. Maton limped to a .173 average with eight home runs, one stolen base, and a .593 OPS with the Tigers in 2023.

The San Francisco Giants appear content to start the 2024 season with a semi-stable outfield of Luis Matos in left field, Jung-Hoo Lee in center field and a Mike Yastrzemski/Austin Slater combination in right field. If Blake Sabol makes the Opening Day roster, he could serve as a left-handed complement to Matos against certain right-handed starters. That alignment would leave Michael Conforto as the primary designated hitter against righties, with Wilmer Flores seeing most of his playing time against lefties. The 22-year-old Matos hit .250/.319/.342 with two homers and 14 RBI in his first 76 big-league games in 2023 after tearing up the upper level of the minors. The Giants will be hoping Matos can grow into some more power as he matures, but his elite contact rates in the minors carried over to his small sample size for San Fran last year, and it looks like he'll see plenty of playing time to start the 2024 campaign.

Milwaukee Brewers left-handed pitcher Ethan Small has been designated for assignment. This move creates space on the 40-man roster for Joey Ortiz and DL Hall after they were acquired in exchange for Corbin Burnes on Thursday evening. Small is a former first-round pick but struggled in limited action over the last two seasons. Through 10.1 innings in the majors, he has allowed 10 earned runs and 10 walks while striking out 13 batters. He fared better at Triple-A but still posted a 1.26 WHIP and 4.24 BB/9 there last year. The Brewers will have one week to trade Small or place him on outright waivers. Given that he has one option remaining, it seems likely that teams with open 40-man roster spots will consider adding him, even if it means sending him to the minors.

The Los Angeles Angels designated reliever Kolton Ingram for assignment on Monday to make room for outfielder Aaron Hicks on the 40-man roster. Ingram, a 27-year-old left-hander, made his major-league debut in 2023 for the Angels and allowed seven runs (five earned) on eight hits (two homers allowed) while walking five and striking out seven in only 5 1/3 relief innings pitched. On the farm between Double-A Rocket City and Triple-A Salt Lake before his first big-league call-up, he faired better with a 2.95 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 34 walks and 77 strikeouts in 61 innings over 45 appearances out of the bullpen. If Ingram isn't picked up by another team on waivers, he could return to the Halos as left-handed relief depth with spring training right around the corner.